Work Stressors and Perceived Organizational Support on Front Line Nurse Manager Work Engagement

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of work stressors and perceived organizational support on front line nurse manager work engagement. A non-experimental descriptive, cross sectional design examined the relationship in a convenience sample of 97 front line nurse managers from the New York tri-state area and members of the American Organization of Nurse Executives.  

Methods: All participants were asked to complete a survey that included the following instruments to measure work engagement, work stressors and perceived organizational support. Instruments ultilized were: (1) the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES); (2) Challenge-Hindrance Stressor Scale and (3) Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS). An electronic survey was used to gather the data from AONE members (nationally) and nurse managers within the tri-state region surrounding New York State. The researcher also explored the influence of perceived organization support on the relationship of the study variables. The conceptual framework of Kahn’s work engagement and the Job Demands–Resources Model was utilized.

Results: There was a negative direct relationship between work engagement and work stressors ( -.325, p < .001) and a positive significant relationship between perceived organizational support and work engagement (.419, p < .001). The conceptual framework of Kahn’s work engagement and the Job Demands–Resources Model revealed that organizational support is needed to promote front line nurse manager work engagement. Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analyses indicated support for the relationship between all variables.

Conclusion: Work engagement, perceived organizational support and work stressors are professional environmental factors that impact the leadership and well-being of FLNM. These factors, properly promoted and implemented, lead to FLNM’s success, retention and job performance.